The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for treating engine exhaust gases and more particularly to disposable filters for engine exhaust gas treating systems.
Recent laws and political and popular pressure to reduce or eliminate air pollution by automotive vehicles has resulted in the strenuous efforts towards many different means for treating the engine exhaust gases emitted from internal combustion engines. These efforts have led to a number of adequate means for reducing the harmful hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen content which exist in the exhaust stream. These previously known methods and apparatus either catalytically or otherwise chemically treat the polluting exhaust fumes in the vehicle engine exhaust pipe system. Examples of such systems may be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,932,364; 2,970,886; 3,599,427; and 3,729,936.
While each of these methods and apparatus are effective in reducing the pollutants found in the conventional engine exhaust stream, they do not provide a simple, inexpensive filtering system which may be replenished or replaced at regular intervals with minimum skill. The exhaust gas treating systems heretofore proposed provide no means by which one of limited skill may readily and easily attach the filtering system to his own automobile exhaust pipe system and replenish or replace the same at regular intervals without the need of assistance from an experienced mechanic. Typically, in the prior art systems, the filtering systems are an integral part of the exhaust system, and there is no quick, each method of replacing the filtering or catalytic systems or replenishing them without the use of additional tools and mechanical ability on the part of the operator. It is the principal object of the present invention to eliminate these disadvantages.